Red-bellied Woodpecker

Female Red-bellied woodpecker, showing a hint of her Red Belly

I think I learned from good buddy Jim McCormac that the red-bellied woodpecker was named back in the day when Ornithologists used guns, not binoculars, to get a closer look at birds.  The red belly of this species isn't obvious.  Here's a female red-bellied from Deer Haven Preserve.  You can just get a hint of the reddish feathers on her belly.  With the bird in the hand though, this feature might stand out fairly easily.

This concludes my bird series from Deer Haven Preserve.  I need some new pictures- I'll have to be creative and bring my camera to work, perhaps-  How about a week of mosses?

-Tom

Who Are You & Why Are You Taking My Picture?

I downloaded a few more pictures of my photo session of Deer Haven Preserve.  I was hoping to share with you an image of a female hairy woodpecker, but I wasn't happy with any of the shots that I got.  I was shooting with a low shutter speed.  I couldn't get my timing down to photograph her when she wasn't moving.  Oh well!

But I did find this gem- A male northern cardinal "caught in the act".

-Tom

More Winter Birds

Female House Finch

Female House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

All of these birds took my instruction to "look to your left" quite well.

Tom

Northern Cardinal

Today I again hosted "the lodge" at Deer Haven Preserve in Liberty Township, Delaware County.  This nature center is a great place to watch and photograph any bird that will come to a feeder.  This male cardinal caught my eye on a gray afternoon.  He kept preening his feathers- allowing the darker patches of underlying skin to show through.  It was interesting behavior to watch, but those two patches don't make for the best photograph.  Unlike a fashion photographer, I can't just yell "wardrobe!" and have three assistants rush in to re-arrange the feathers. 

-Tom

The Lodge at Deer Haven Preserve

About once a month I volunteer at a nature center called "The Lodge at Deer Haven Preserve". I'm here now, actually, typing and photographing with my IPhone. Most central Ohioans are well aware of the Franklin County Metroparks, but Delaware County also has a fantastic park district. The system in this County is known as the Delaware Preservation Parks.

The Lodge here at Deer Have Preserve is a fantastic place to watch birds. The nature center is open - every day from 12-5 pm. I'll be here today until 2:30.

-Tom

Winter at Deer Haven

A big thank you to yesterday's participants at the winter photography program at Deer Haven Preserve.  Here are a few of my shots from our little foray.  We had eleven participants, not bad for a snowy winter day!

Carolina Wren

Deer Haven Preserve, Delaware, Ohio

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius

Deer Haven Preserve, Delaware County January 22, 2010

Bird Help!

 What is this little brown bird?  It was sitting on the ground, eating seed, at the Deer Haven Preserve in Delaware county.  It looks like a song sparrow, but it is smaller, has a much smaller bill, and a noticeably shorter tail.

The mystery bird is in the foreground- a typical song sparrow, for comparison, is in the background.

My guess, based on a quick perusal of Sibley's Guide, is a Lincoln's sparrow, but it's not quite a perfect match.    What do you think?

Tom

Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Today I started a new venture- I'll be volunteering my time with the Preservation Parks of Delaware County about once a month or so working at the Deer Haven Lodge nature center.  Today was my first day, and although visitation was light by human beings, the bird feeders there were quite active.  This beautiful female rose-breasted grosbeak stopped by the feeding station, and I had my camera ready.  What a great way to spend an afternoon.

Tom